In one type of VTOL aircraft, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,109 to the present inventor (the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference), jet engines are provided in a forward portion of the aircraft. During vertical flight, the thrust is directed downwardly via a cascade thrust deflector. During forward flight, the cascade thrust deflector is stored, outside the air stream of the thrust, within the fuselage.